Royally Flawsome ♛

34 ♛

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I was on the plane, soaring over the city lights that glimmered from kilometers down. I had always prejudiced New Zealand to have more nature than lights but from the hundred of lights that caught my eyes and the small forest we had just flew by, it definitely had the best of both worlds.
New Zealand was in its own little world, isolated from the world's drama, or maybe I was just too preoccupied to actually ever watch the news. Nevertheless the little island impressed me before I even set foot on it.

I dial Hamis, and he immediately picks up, informing me that he was already at the airport, waiting for my arrival. I smile to myself knowing that I was actually going to see Miss Tatu with my own hard worked money.

My phone had ten miss calls from Maximus who I had not found necessary to inform that I was already halfway around the globe. It was pretty rude of me but part of the reason I had come all the way to New Zealand was to get away from him. I needed time from him to be able to make the right decision, an island and a wise woman beside me was enough to complete that. By the time I was back home I'd have returned with certainty about the whole situation.

.

I fretted around with my luggage and sigh in relief when I see Hamis run towards me. He wasn't smiling, he wasn't waving, he just ran with a droopy face, gave a nonchalant "hi" and drags my luggage out of the airport with me trailing behind him.

"How's Miss Tatu?" He doesn't look at me, not even once, just mumbles a fine and opens the passengers door to his beat down Toyota Corolla.

"Its a cute car," he smiles at me and buckles his seatbelt than raises his eyebrow at mine. I chuckle and buckle my own seatbelt.

"Sorry if the eye bags are scaring you, it's just been one hell of a trip," he glances at me with a smile and that small smile that I was able to poke out from his tired mask made me proud. I felt like a proud mom after her son shot his first football goal.

"You still look gorgeous," he was still smiling. I smile to myself and turn my head towards the window. Making someone smile in devastating times felt amazing, a warmth subsided in my heart at the mere smile of Hamis. I put my hand on my chest wanting to feel the warmth, it was untouchable but it was there, just like the warmth of my pop's and mom's hugs. Maybe they were virtually hugging me.

"So is this your first time traveling alone?" I look away from the blurred lights that soured past the car window and back to Hamis. He had golden skin that seemed to shine in the dark and hair so matt black it made me jealous.

"It's my first time traveling," he looks at me, up and down, his eyes lingering on my prosthesis for a minute too long before turning his eyes back onto the road.

"You look like a traveling girl."

"What does a traveling girl look like?"

"Short hair, vibrant eyes, big smile," I laugh, the stereotype was cute but definitely wrong, I liked traveling but was too broke to actually go anywhere that was more than 100 km or so from London.

"Nah, but Im going to start traveling real soon," I smile proudly at him, he nods his head as his smile quickly disappeared from his golden face.

"The hospital is by those blue lights," I gulp down the feeling of terror that was trying to rise up my throat. Would she remember me? Would she throw jokes? Or was everything changed?"

"She can't talk, she is on the very last stage," his voice was almost automatic, he probably retold the information to everyone that it just became a chant to him.

I walk through the big hospital doors, my eyes jumping from one facility to the next. It was more beautiful and well decorated than the hospital I worked in. I breath in the medicines that once made me gag in disgust but now made me smile in relief at the thought that I was at work. But that wasn't the scenario here. The white walls seemed to be reaching out to me, wanting to swallow and suffocate me. The room was massive yet I felt constricted.

"Are you sure you are ready?" I nod almost too quickly. I wasn't ready. Hamis walks in front of me with great giant strides making it very hard for my short legs to catch up. With every footstep I take, I feel the lump in my throat grow to more and more extents. In one of those perfectly painted blue doors, slept Miss Tatu, the youth in her old eyes swallowed by the disastrous disease. The disease that took away more than just happiness.

Hamis stops in front of a door with a large number 23 on it. I breath in, he puts his hand out for me to take. I smile and shake my head, I got it.
He pushes the door open and my eyes instantly clump shut. "I'm not ready Hamis," I hear a groan, it sounded like a lot of effort was put into it. I open my eyes and meet Miss Tatu's youthful ones, the youth and charm in them had not died.

A duvet covered her from her toes to her neck, but the lump that was growing on her neck was imprinting on the duvet. She groans again and points towards me. Tears of somewhat happiness lingering in her eyes.

"She can talk but it just takes a lot of effort and seems extremely painful so please don't talk to her," Hamis whispers besides me before walking to a far corner in the room and exhaustingly plonking on the blue coach, hands rubbing his face.

"You-you- c-c-ame," tears were streaming down my face; this wasn't the Miss Tatu I knew, the Miss Tatu that would joke around all day and was always able to bring a smile onto almost anyones face. She was now just bones in pain and it hurt seeing her like that. I sit down next to her bed and reach for her hand underneath the duvet. I cry out loud at how bony they felt, but that was selfish, to cry out loud in front of her, it was like telling her there was no hope left so I immediately smile.

"Miss Tatu," I whisper, my head getting buried into her large duvet. I feel her hand slip away from mine very slowly and land on my black hair. She strokes my head.
"I copied your Maori hair," I whisper into the duvet, a slight chuckle that seemed hard to generate but didn't seem forced came out from her chapped lips. I close my eyes and try to stop the tears, I felt embarrassed to look at her, I didn't want to look at her. I didn't want to see Miss Tatu dying, I wanted to see the old Miss Tatu smiling at me. But this was reality and no matter how much I have always tried to run away from it, it was real, and it was now, and it had to be faced. So I look at her, and even though she was just bones now, her smile covered her face and for a moment I forget that she was dying in front of me and the image of old Miss Tatu flicks in my mind. Her smile didn't change, she was still radiating the same energy even though she was laying on her death bed.

"I-letter," she points to the drawers next to her and there lay a beautifully enveloped letter. I smile and was about to rip it open when she vigorously shakes her head, "No, later- when Im de-de-dead," I shake my head, and even more tears stream down my face, "You are not dying woman!" She laughs, a laugh with so much put effort it makes me frown.

"I-am and it's o-okay...," her hand lands on mine and I grasp it tightly.

"Remember Hal-hales, y-you onl-y live once, s-so enjoy it. I- I enjoy-ed mine, and Im going away happy. D-do-don't be s-so hard on your self and live to the fullest," I nod my head, my heart clenching on how much effort she was putting to just communicate with me.

"Miss Tatu, you don't need to talk, your presence is enough," She shakes her head at me, her smile never once leaving her face.

"Okay at least shorten the words, like be illiterate," she laughs again and a tear rolls down her face, I take the wipes next to her table and gently wipe it from her face, my heart heavy.

"I love you."

"I love you for infinity Miss Tatu."